After opening the season with a three-game losing streak, the Tufts men's soccer team entered this week desperate to pick up at least one win with two away games at Springfield College and Wesleyan. But while the Jumbos snapped their skid with a 1-1 tie against the Pride on Wednesday, they went right back to losing in a 2-0 game with the Cardinals on Saturday.
Tufts was confident as it departed on the weekend trip to Middletown, Conn., partly because it was facing a Wesleyan team that was not much different from the squad it defeated 2-1 at home last year. In that contest, the Jumbos fell behind on a Cardinals goal in the 33rd minute but dominated the second half of play, scoring twice in four minutes for the win.
So, when Wesleyan took the lead in the 13th minute of the first half on a goal by Cardinals senior defender Asante Brooks, the Jumbos were disappointed but undeterred.
"That's been our problem so far this year, giving up that early goal and playing from behind," junior tri-captain midfielder Naji Muakkassa said. "We really played well that first half, but having that mindset of chasing them is never good."
In fact, Brooks' goal was Wesleyan's only shot of the half. Tufts maintained possession for most of the 45 minutes and dominated in many facets of the game, but the Jumbos just could not find the back of the net.
"We matched their intensity early on, and this was the first game this year where we outshot and outplayed a team in the first half," junior midfielder Ron Coleman said. "But sometimes playing well and scoring goals [don't] always go together."
There certainly wasn't a lack of effort on the Jumbos' side. After failing to notch a shot on goal in their first two NESCAC matchups with Middlebury and Amherst, the Jumbos were determined to pepper the Cardinals' net in this game, firing eight total shots — five in the first half, three in the second. But Wesleyan's freshman goalkeeper Adam Purdy saved all four of the attempts that were on target, earning the third shutout of his young collegiate career.
Things did not go Tufts' way in the second half of the contest, as just seven minutes in Wesleyan got on the board again. Senior tri-captain midfielder Nick Whipple, the Cardinals' leading scorer, collected a pass from freshman midfielder Walter Rodriguez and sent it past Tufts' senior goalkeeper Pat Tonelli into the right side of the net.
Tonelli faced a relentless barrage from the Cardinals in the final 45 minutes and did well to allow only a single goal on seven Wesleyan shots. He made two saves in what was, on the whole, a solid performance. Still, Wesleyan's insurance goal proved to be a dagger, and the Jumbos could not regain the momentum for the remainder of the contest.
"The second half was sort of chaotic, especially after they scored again," Coleman said. "We really didn't have any strong chances on their goal after that."
With the win, Wesleyan (3-0-2) stayed undefeated, while Tufts (0-4-1 overall, 0-3-0 in NESCAC) was unable to secure its first victory of the season. Despite being the only remaining NESCAC team without a win, the Jumbos are still bullish about their prospects for the rest of the season.
"Obviously, we were disappointed to lose today," junior midfielder Chris Flaherty said. "But we've been playing some of the toughest teams on our schedule, and we know that things will turn around and the wins will come."
The Jumbos will return to the pitch on Tuesday night in a showdown against Suffolk (4-1-2) under the lights at Bello Field. The team will then go back in search of its first conference victory on Saturday when the Jumbos head to Bates, a team that will also be hoping to secure its first NESCAC win.
"We're looking ahead to that game against Bates as a game we have to win," Muakkassa said. "We can talk about positives all year, but realistically, at this point, we need to start winning games."
